impolight

:::TWILIGHT::: The fragrance of Twilight was just... Devastating. Though it was in the Ars Moriendi category AND predated the theatrical release of the talkie with the same title, there was no small measure of trepidation in the exploration of this scent. At the Bat's Day Black Market this year, there was unmitigated access to the entire catalogue of BPAL scents and monies were long reserved for the occasion, so a frenzy was well underway by the time Twilight was in the cross-hairs. The cap was opened... The love was intense and immediate. The whole world seemed to swoon to a standstill. Twilight was breathed in and seemed to bloom, pyrotechnically, in every available space inside the body... Intercellular void was readily occupied with a shimmering cascade of purple, magenta, and dark yellow, glittering sparks. Surrounding static evaporated and was replaced by something that sounded like Tori Amos, hard at work on a clavicord. Twilight is stately, aristocratic and otherworldly. Galactic gratitude radiates from the very core, resonating across infinities like embroyonic laughter that Twilight in NO WAY resembles MTV (Manicured Teen Vampires). Twilight is, in fact, the antithesis of camp. Twilight possesses a poise and sophistication light-years beyond pomp, frivolity, and municipal angst. The Lavender in Twilight has absolutely no overpowering characteristic. The boquet here has composure and elan. This is a very French Lavender. The night-blooming Jasmine brings a lustrous and penetrating perfume to Twilight that gives it resplendance and vitality.Honeysuckle weaves through Twilight with a sweetness that floats like bubbles through Honey and bears all the hallmarks of electrified religious fervor. Magnificent!Twilight is regally powerful. Twilight could be depicted as an army of warriors with the bodies of gymnasts and the heads of lions. The evening sky is royal purple velvet and filled with constellations of burning topaz...The captain wears a crown smeared with blood. He roars with bone-splintering ferocity and the tapetum lucidum blazes like a pulsar... Twilight is thus far unmatched by anything else in the Ars Moriendi section. Twilight is powerfully reverent. Twilight is enigmatic and pulsating. Twilight is an extraordinary, unisex fragrance. On Him, Twilight is golden, leonine, and incandescent. On Her, Twilight is a leonine conflagration, a darkening force of nature, a total eclipse. Twilight is a truly amazing perfume oil. Twilight earns an easy 5.5 out of 5.

:::THE STORMHOLD::: Things got a little nutty at Bat's Day this year. Overstimulation was the word for the day, and there were wads of stray currency that escaped from pockets and leapt into the till at BPAL's booth like salmon struggling up a waterfall... It has to be said that there is exquisite taste in literature at Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs. Stardust is just one of those books that takes fiction to an entirely new level; combining multiple elements and themes and putting them to work for the mind of one of the greatest contemporary masters out there. Ah, The Stormhold... From the Bottle: "Dream Home" would also be appropriate. The Moss, Vetiver, Granite, and Ozone get all jumbled together and collide directly with brainwaves. It makes your entire face tingle! The Stormhold is beautifully clean. This could well be an ablutory chamber where one prepares for ritual... The Stormhold is a liquid pewter with sparks of Mossy green at this phase. Loving it in humungous ways! More!!! On the Skin: Amazingly, this gets even cleaner! The Moss is almost...Minty. Minty with a twist of Lime! Neat! The Stormhold has, without question, the CLEANEST, FRESHEST, version of Vetiver anywhere! This is awesome! The Stormhold kind of resembles a weird hybrid for a moment... If "Sunrise With Sea Monsters" and "The Coil" had a baby and washed it's hair in Vetiver baby shampoo... It would come close to this. Thrilling and dark! Quite the find! The Stormhold is likely for Him. This is a fortress of a fragrance; absolutelt nothing dainty or demure about it. The Stormhold earns a 5.9 out of 5!

:::WHITE RIDER::: White Rider is super-duper yummy! White Rider is a more... Metrosexual version of Red Rider. White Rider is alot less heavy on the emphasis of Leather, and the Sandalwood gives it a sweeter, more carefully contoured texture. White Rider is spicier and more blonde... Thus far, this is the fragrance of someone who you would almost trust instinctively... Someone, perhaps, that you would like on your side in the courtroom. The Skinspiration: Wow! Now the Leather comes out to play! The Leather in White Rider leaps up and stings your cheek like a well-aimed white leather glove! This makes the hair at the nape of the neck stand straight up... This Leather is so good, you can almost eat it! There is this inexplicable and perverse image of a pearly scoop of Leather Ice-cream that sits in a lovely waffle-cone that's been meticulously carved from Sandalwood and the lightly dusted with sugar crystals. Meep! This is another fragrance that has to be smelled to be believed. White Rider falls into the category of must have righteousness. White Rider is white on white disco smut. Utterly and sensationally sexy. On Him, White Rider is snidely elegant. On Her, White Rider is inexorable temptation... Her allure, impossible to resist. White Rider gets a 5.5 out of 5.

:::BABA YAGA::: http://allencentre.wikispaces.com/file/vie...3/BabaYaga2.jpg When this was picked up for a sniff at Bat's Day 2010, it immediately fell into the, "MUST HAVE" category. This smells unbelievably good! Being previously unfamiliar with the Fairy Tale, several search engines were employed to peel back the layers of Baba Yaga's wonderful character, which has made this oil all the more endearing. From the opened bottle: Insanely good... Something about Baba Yaga (the Cold Iron, maybe?) seems as though it would fit in rather well with the oils in the Phoenix Steamworks and Research Facility. Yummy in the way that only things from a parallel universe can be! The most noticeable bits are the Patchouli root, the Sun Soaked Herbs, and the Cold Iron. When these mix together in Baba Yaga, the effect is COMPLETELY charismatic; total obliteration of reservations, cautions, and inhibitions. Interestingly, there is also a suggestion of some kind of nastily barbed menace lying beneath the surface that demands respect and your total attention. Skinfamy!: Now the Sun Soaked Flowers and Bundles of Moss really come out to play! The Moss is clean, sharp and lovely! It almost smells like there is some Orange Peel in here somewhere too. Baba Yaga is a bustling scent at this face; there is lots going on! Quite a buzz of excitement! The flowers are a bit difficult to discern amid so many diversions, yet Neroli, Jasmine, and Tobacco Flower would be good a guess as any. There are a couple of unknowns in here too, that are equal parts fascinating and scary. The "Moth Dust" is absurdly appropriate! After smelling this for a while, a scent that kept popping out was familiar in the sense of finding a nest of... Bugs. Anyone who has ever used mealworms for fishing, removed a wasp's nest, or discovered beetles in the firewood pile will be able to identify this, otherwise, it is terribly hard to describe... Yet the Lab has matched it perfectly. The Broom Twigs work really well with the Patchouli Root, and DO give a sense of enchantment. Genius! WOW pretty much sums up the kind of category that the fragrance of Baba Yaga fits into. Baba Yaga will leave you feeling very much as though you are living in a Fairy Tale. It will open your eyes up to the magic in the every-day.Baba Yaga is utterly fantastic! On Him, Baba Yaga Smells wily, danger-prone, and mad-cap. On Her, This is high-spirited, crafty, and sexy as all get out! This maintains it's strength hours after it has been applied... There simply aren't enough good things to say about Baba Yaga! The leetle-dawg: trembles with the fear, plain in his eyes. The Wife: Hospital Gift Store. *ahem* Baba Yaga is a truly great fragrance. An effortless 5 out of 5!

:::ATHENS::: http://www.iho-ohi.org/wp-content/athens-greece.jpg Athens smells alot like a revelry round a fire! The Red Wine is VERY prominent, hinting at debauch in a classical sense. The Myrrh and Honey are dribbled over the whole shebang with a sweetness that verges on cloying at moments, but drags you around by the nose for one of the wildest rides of your life! The floral aspects of Athens are subtle at best; perhaps even of a viticultural persuasion, but they are beautiful nonetheless. On the Skin: Mmmmmm... Athens is GORGEOUS!!! The combination of Myrrh, Red Wine and Flowers is in the same neighborhood of Obsidian Widow or Lilith... Loving this! The Honey has been the most downplayed in this blend, but it suffers NONE. The longer that Athens sits on the skin, the better it gets! Something starts to emnate from the skin like tendrils of spicy smoke, and the florals almost start to resemble Cereus... Amazing! Athens is a strong recommendation for anyone, Him OR Her. Magnificent! 5.5 out of 5!

:::DEFUTUTA::: Defututa is a very... Goddess-like fragrance. The most noticeable notes from the just-opened Imp are the Honey, Vanilla, Sandalwood, and Champaca... If this were skin, it would cry out for the ministrations of your mouth like an ice cream on the verge of having a melt... The Jasmine is currently preoccupied elsewhere; likely trying to find out where Cinnamon and Olive Blossom are hiding. On the Skin: Oh, Hi, Jasmine! Jasmine and Champaca are now ganging up on poor Olive Blossom, walloping her with Cinnamon sticks while Sandalwood and Vanilla snicker maliciously on the sidelines. Defututa is a crazy-good fragrance! (Schnanni, you would LOVE this!!!) Imagining this as a unisex fragrance is a lovely thought, however, Defututa reigns as a fragrance for Her, exclusively. Defututa is a lovely, Lust-out-loud fragrance that would reduce a strong man to tears. Hot! Hot! Hot! 5 out of 5!

:::ALECTO::: By the Lab's notes, Alecto seemed a bit fearsome and intimidating as a first impression; I mean, Vetiver AND Cedar? C'mon! Let's see what the contents of this lovely Imp has to say for itsself... Not fearsome in the slightest at this phase. Pleasant, more like. Comforting. Imps of both Tchotchkie (sp?) and Bauble were picked up during the last Naughty & Nice Inquisition, and, so far, Alecto smells a great deal like one of them... Remembering which one is a problem. Blast! Digression! Anywho, Alecto smells like roasting nuts, salt, and butter at this phase. There is nothing here thus far that even remotely resemble Cedar, Vetiver, Olive Leaf OR Raspberry Leaf... Alecto is more of a... Holiday snack. Skinterpretation: Much the same. If anything, a little Raspberry has drifted by on an errant breeze, and there might be a grain or three of sawdust from a Cedar tree that was cut down on your first birthday... No Vetiver. *sniff* Those who rally against Vetiver will most likely wet themselves for this blend. The Vetiver in Alecto is much like the Rose note in an egg-salad sandwich. After roughly 10 minutes of wear, the caloric feel of this blend has abated and you're left with a very slight Cedary theme with a mere hint of Berry. Alecto is a clean and comfortable fragrance. Alecto is subtle enough for those of a more timid temperment to wear without fear of making a huge impression with an aura of scent. Alecto is a pleasing fragrance that would work well for Him or Her. 4.5 out of 5.

:::AKUMA::: Blood Orange, Neroli, and Raspberry? This one ought to be exceptional! Blood Orange was introduced by way of Carnival Diabolique from personal experience, so there is every confidence that this will be superb. OMG! OMG! OMG! Even better! Blood Orange is an insanely gorgeous note! Blended with the Orange Blossom and Raspberry, Akuma becomes just the merciless sort of monster that will happily cart you off to Hell with a bat of her lashes. The Raspberry in Akuma is a nasty, mean-spirited thing; it behaves more like a garnet that bites hard enough to draw blood... Yet is also the precise pigment that transfigures the lips of a Lolita into a hypnotic Doomsday-damnation device... With emphasis on the syllable of, "Vice". Akuma is a fright, a ferocity, a femme fatale! One wonders what havic Akuma will wreak upon boy body chemistry... The Skin: Whoah... In this case, Akuma achieves an extraordinary feat of morphing! The Raspberry has absconded into nothingness, while Neroli and the Blood Orange mingle their essences to construct a clean, beautiful essence that any man worth his salt would feel like a million bucks, had he applied a fragrance such as this following a fresh shave. Akuma, then, is spotlessly unisex! Spectrally, Akuma is a feast of Garnet, Neon Orange, Turquoise, Gold, and Fluorescent White. Akuma could be worn to a posh sort of bistro that serves $50 drinks, plays highly evolved chill-out tracks, and an intricate tapestry of outlets for every vice and compulsion. Akuma is erotic madness, heightened senses, and experimental socializing. A nifty dragnet, if you will. 5.4 out of 5!

:::THE COILED SERPENT::: Mmmmmmmm...This one was significantly underestimated, even after reading the description. The Coiled Serpent has what is probably the cleanest, freshest version of Patchouli in it that has been encountered anywhere else on the planet, thus far. This could also contain Cedar, Narcissus, Vetiver, Rose, Moss, Ylang-ylang and Lemon peel ...Ok, birds fly through the air and their serpentine counterpart glides through the air from treetops thanks to specialised ribs. Penguins "fly" through the water, and their serpentine counterparts are Sea Snakes... Well, The Coiled Serpent proves the subterranean equivalent. The Coiled Serpent is mystical and earthy. This is probably what the maiden voyage of becoming a vulcanaut smells like! Skin says: All of the above, yet more so! A floral note, hitherto undetected, emerges which adds a cologne feel similar to that in Michtecacihuatl... But subterranean. This is a diamond hars smile for Him! An epiphany! 4.9 out of 5!

:::HIGH JOHN THE CONQUEROR::: Huh... From the freshly uncapped Imp, High John the Conqueror smelled an awful lot like a cherry hard candy. After several deep, slow sniffs, the effet was much the same... It was set aside for a few moments, and the wee spritz that acted as trace element on the noses end hinted at Magnolia. Admittedly, at this phase; that is, that which has yet to react with body chemistry, the only forseeable increase in prestige would be with wee ankle biters... On with the adventure! On the Skin: The Cherry is still here! There also seems to be some strawberries, Cream, Magnolia, Water Lily, Neroli, and Narcissus. Super-sweet! By it's moniker, High John the Conqueror was originally believed to be a commanding sort of fragrance for Him. Experience paints a different picture entirely... This is good fortune, a winsome smile, and an almost magical dalliance for Her. High John the Conqueror is sweet, Floral and breezy. Spectrally a translucent white.Fresh! 4.4 of 5.

:::AZAZOTH::: This wound up being yet another Frimp that got tossed into the goodie-bag from Bat's Day this year... Hooray for this on multiple levels! Azazoth is the blind idiot. Nuclear whatsit... The Lab is capable of genius with anything that they do, but with Lovecraft especially, their work is impeccable! From the Imp: Holy Crow! Gorgeous! Cedar gives the first strike; clean, powerful Cedar. Right away, you feel almost as though you're encased in a fortress of sorts. There is a wee nudge from Vetiver in this that makes it creepy in a delicious sort of way. Tangerine crawls right over the top of this, just like an electric-orange vein of energy that moves across a blackened expanse of burning paper... The miniature ring of fire at the very edge of a lit cigarette when its being puffed. The Lab's Black Amber is spellbinding! Sweet and lustrous as Amber usually is, but with a smoldering, charred texture that makes it completely unique. The Saffron is hard to identify for now. The description of this being simultaneously dark and bright couldn't be more accurate. Azazoth is like dancing blind in a magnesium flare... Or shielding your eyes from the glare of a volcanic vent in an ocean trench... Surreal. Skinwise: By Jove, this is a smash! The Cedar still leads the pack, but it is exquisitely measured in with the Tangerine and Vetiver and, finally, the Saffron to unleash something quite Wintergreeny... Perhaps, Sasparille-like! This has morphed wonderfully! Wow! Azazoth is unbelievably good! In both incarnations, Azazoth is a force to be reckoned with, but on the skin chemistry, it takes on all new life! Azazoth could be unisex, but it's woodier qualities have it much more suitable for Him. Azazoth is quite the impressive feat of perfumery. The entire Arkham collection has proved itsself worthy of purchase, and boasts a tie to one of the greatest authors of our age. Azazoth earns a 5 out of 5 without even trying. Great stuff, BPAL, great!!!

Hah! Rosewood and Lilac coming together to represent the "God of Sexual Desire"? You bet'cha! From the Imp: Oh, this is just NOT playing fair! Yeah sure, Lilac and Rosewood are frontline, but that does little to prepare the imagination for just how effectively they are made all the more boy-toy with Juniper's presence! Wow! Here is a well-defined torso; replete with ripped abs and hip-flexors, deviantly slung over to one side. Himerus is romanesque facial features, pomaded hair, a million mile stare and an arrogant pout. Himerus is the bloke that gives the ladies er... Impure thoughts? And the very same that all the other blokes want to bash in the gob. Himerus really and truly is everything that it promises to be so far! This is scary good! What were the Labbies thinking when this stuff was turned loose on an unsuspecting and instant-gratification oriented public? This stuff is scrump-diddly-umptious! The Skinny: Oof! This stuff's the hotter, elder brother of Goldeen Priaprus! The Lilac at this phase is rather extrordinary! This is like waking up one morning to discover that you have sprouted a Royal Purple cape! Himerus is certainly a regal fragrance. All of the notes arrange themselves in complimentary fashion to relay an unshakeable reputation of competency and prowess. Himerus is a a great way for Him to beef up his resum'e. An effortless 5 out of 5.

:::ANATHEMA::: Excess? Heavy as thunder from the Vatican? Okay, then this is a MUST. Honeysuckle is much beloved for it's haunting, ethereal qualities. It's fragrance ordinarily insinuates a gift for walking through walls, it seems. Honeysuckle puts head-candy synthesizer notes directly into the brain to accompany the unnaturally beautiful colors of Southern California sunsets. Honeysuckle makes a vampire's grin momentarily ridiculous. Now that the Lab has got their mitts on it... The uncapping: tyjctgewiksz! Howdy, Vetiver! Though it was listed in the notes, the nose was wholly unprepared. The Lab does amazing work with Vetiver! The Vetiver in Anathema is green, ashen, and sassy! This is like a smokin'-hot red-head aiming a predatory leer in your direction with an unlikely thatch of Honeysuckle worn behind Her ear and an intimidatingly large glass of Rye Whiskey in Her hand. There will be no mercy for you this night. On the skin: Now that's smooth! All three notes cooperate gleefully, and combine in new ways! The Amber passes for burnt or smoked Honey in Anathema. When this mixes with the Honeysuckle and the Vetiver, the overall effect is close to that of ritual incense. Anathema is decadently sweet and sultry. Anathema would be just the thing for Her to be... Irresistable. An easy 5 out of 5.

:::VERDANDI::: The Apple is quite noticeable the instant that it is exposed to the air, but what comes as a surprise from Verdandi is a nutty quality. This could come from the "deep herbs", but it is seriously filling up the air with something that is very much like Pecans. The Amber curbs the Apple peel just enough to where, if you weren't looking for it, you may well not recognise that there is actually any apple in this... This is very... Leafy. Skin says: Rocket-rapid morphing magic! For a split second, everything disappears but the now heavily salted nuts... Bar food. In the next instant the Amber leaps to the surface with a flamboyant, "Tada!" before plummeting back down into anonymity. When the Apple makes another go, it resembles something more along the lines of Cantaloupe... Topped with salted nuts. Verdandi may not be a first pick, but it is certainly... Interesting. Worth a look. Foody intrigue for Her. Furtive glances of mistrust for Him. 3.3 out of 5.

:::PONTARLIER::: The description for Pontarlier has long held a(n) (un)healthy dose of fascination... The birthplace of the Green Fairy? Come, now! All of the notes give off promise, and a rapturous sense of well being based on that mindset of intoxication that intimates euphoria, intensity, excitement, inspiration, and making a miracle out of the mundane. The (Bat's Day) Frimp, uncapped: Oh, how the heartbeat flutters! Good grief, the impulse is to... Skip??? Completely, utterly starstruck. Twitterpated. Flabbergasted. Bowled-the-frick-over! High hopes have resided for this formula since it's notes were browsed, well over a year ago! This blew the grandest of delusions right out of the water! The notes in Pontarlier blend seamlessly together, yet are all distinct at the same time. Though it's not the most assertive of components, the Swiss Fern made the biggest impression... Were the outdoors always so refreshing! The Absinthe and the Lavender conspire to bolster the electricity and pep that makes one wish to stand up and take notice. The Black Currant and the Gallic Rose in this provide the fantasy element in Pontarlier, creating an almost psychadelic aura that glows from everything, all the way to the smallest pebble hitherto unseen in a very picturesque woodland. The Lab's Lilac is a sorcery of a scent, regardless of what it's included in, and the larger than life wonder that is Pontarlier is no exception. From the Skin: The Lavender, Lilac, and Rose REALLY roar at this phase! This is a floral avalanche that the Lavender Fougere and the Lilac accomplishes without being overwhelmingly feminine. After a moment, the greenery inherent in both the Absinthe and the Ferns comes back with a vengeance; tempering the blooms with what is an almost supernaturally green incandescence. Well, hello, Sugar! At first, this note was thought to be an allegorical reference to the sweetness of the blooms, but, lo and behold, there indeed is sugar!This is the glass, ornamented sugar bowl from childhood at grandmas... Leaning over for a surreptitious whiff of the stuff before spooning mountains of the stuff over the top of otherwise perfectly healthy oatmeal. Given some time to develop and ripen under the influence of body chemistry, the most prominent notes of Pontarlier are the Fern, Lilac and Lavender. Spectrally, Pontarlier is a dizzying array of purples set against a backdrop of enchanted greenery bejeweled with dewdrops. Pontarlier would work wonderfully for Him or Her. On her, one could practically watch as her ears became pointed and she sprouted wings fresh from the chrysalis. On Him, there is mischeivous, elven grinning and the disturbing quality of laughing at the tree's jokes. Pontarlier is not to be underestimated! 2 of the 5mL bottles of this should have been picked up! Shucks! Here is another reason to fatten the next order... Pure bliss. 5.5 out of 5!

:::DESDEMONA::: Desdemona is a giggling and squeals of delight. The mind's eye takes in a sweeping vista of a frothing blue waterfall emptying into a crystalline lake where nymphs of the youthful persuasion frolic, splash and attend to their comely tresses. This is being sprawled out on a ridiculously soft blanket, accompanied by a superb spread that includes sweet teas, canapes, and a veritable rainbow of jams of unparallelled succulence. The celestial theater of dazzlingly white clouds and fabulously blue sky is riveting... Damn and blast, won't someone fetch another pillow?Desdemona is a carefree, idyllic stroll in the merry, merry month of May, wiling away the hours, conferring with the flowers, whistlin' while you work, etc.... This likely includes a strawhat and a parasol, perhaps a rowboat. Desdemona is, thus far, remniscent of a bygone era... An age of innocemce. On the skin: The trinity of blooms in Desdemona amp with flair. The Water Lily is particularly gorgeous... The Carnation gives this fragrance imperial, majestic airs, while the Sweet Pea softens the whole thing with a soft glow of innocence. Desdemona is a gorgeous fragrance for her. The wearer of this formula likely deserves to have mellifluous odes composed in Her honor. Splendid! 4.8 out of 5!

:::LAMPADES::: First impressions: There is this plank of freshly cut Cedar... The sap beads, wells up, turns into blood and trickles down the grain... Along the rivulets, there are dusky blooms... And from the center of these blooms emereges a shiny, violently-red fruit... Lampades IS a Bewitching Brew. The fascination here is with the fluidity of characteristics of this formula. Just about the time this sweetens into a bejeweled bit of glamour for Her, a sharpened, woodsy, spicey bit of grit and muscle lean this into something more suggestive of a formula favored by Him. The Ginger delivers an especially bone-shaking primal scream. The Lilac hovers comfortably in Lampades, drifting toward both sides of the scale... Grrrroovy! Skinside: The fruit has all but disappeared. Strangely, though there is no mention of Cedar included in the notes for this, the Ginger and "Spices" combine to produce something quite convincing of the contrary... In fact, for those of you who are fond of "Tombstone" in the Wanderlust category, you may just find that this is very remniscent of a newly opened bottle of Tombstone... Beautiful! Lampades constantly maintains it's rosiness of spectrum; from heartwood Cedar to Cranberry-stained Cinnamon stick. Lampades would work magic on either Him or Her. A true delight! 4.9 out of 5!

:::RAPTURE::: Rapture is hot pink and fluorescent white in the olfactory spectrum. This is a distinctly floral fragrance, yet there is something... Cleansing here, too; something of the tear-free persuasion... Antibacterial, perhaps. Soothing. So far, this seems as though it would be an ideal room fragrance! It is very fresh, clean, and feminine. On the Skin: this is very much the same. The Neroli struggles to surface for a breath in this pool of pink rose petals. The Myrrh, try as it might to cast a pall of shadow over this, to lend an air of reverence, has, at best, a fluorescent, sparkly, pastel sort of grey. Giggles are stifled. The Arabian Musk brings yet more sequins to the affair. Total glitterpalooza! Washing the hand until the suds looked like shaving foam did little to keep the neon pink light-saber from igniting the sinuses. Rapture is unmistakeably for Her. Very fresh and fragrant. Hyperpink. Best to brighten a room or use in teensy, atomised doses. 3.5 out of 5.

:::THE SCARECROW::: This one came as a Frimp from the pre-Bat's Day 2010 WCWC... Thank you, Labbies! This one has held a long-time allure because of the imagery and associations conjured up in reference to this, "Agricultural Gargoyle", as it were, ranging from the affectionate buffoonery of the character in Frank L. Baum's immortal "Wizard of Oz", to the demented sadism of the Batman villain... And everything inbetween! From the Imp: Yum! The notes from the Lab aren't handy, but something about barren fields and scorched earth jogs the memory... Which is unusual here, because this is delicious!This is the syrupy goldness of captured sunlight! This is sweet, clean, and golden! Hay Moon was sweetened with Hay Absolute, and while this is roughly similar ( maybe, thanks to the power of suggestion, from the label?), it isn't quite as sweet... More like clean, fresh straw. There is some kind of earthen, spiciness to Scarecrow, too... This could very well be Patchouli, yet Cedar is just as likely a candidate. Deeper sniffings actually do suggest something burnt or ashen, just a smidge, and something here is close to Terra Cotta dust. On the Skin: This just keeps getting better and better! Scarecrow gets sweeter, lusher, greener! This Sarecrow wears a magnificent corona, wields a scythe for his scepter, throws his head back and crows, gloating over the majesty of his kingdom in defiance of the winged scavengers that would threaten his tribute! A plantiness has emerged from Scarecrow that suggests broad, green, serrated, heart-shaped leaves, spiraling vines, and pumpkin innards... This fragrance would be a splendid representation of, "The Pumpkin King" too! The longer that this embraces the skin, the better it gets! This has sharpened just enough to tame the burgeoning sweetness, and also started to develop an almost rusty-cologne feel to it. Scarecrow is a pastoral rogue of a fragrance. It manages to be somehow bucolic and sinister at the same time. Scarecrow leans alot more toward being a fragrance for Him. This could work as a unisex fragrance, yet, on her it might be a little... Strange... It would be as natural as a dress and bonnet on a Scarecrow or a historic oil painting of lady behind a plow... A possibility, to be sure, simply incongruous with intents and purposes. Spectrally, Scarecrow is golden, various shades of green, pale yellow, rust, terra cotta, cocoa and pumpkin... Appropriately autumnal!Scarecrow is incredible! The Lab readily surpasses expectations at every opportunity yet again! A tried and true marvel! This one gets a 5.5 out of 5.

:::SHRUNKEN HEADS::: This was anticipation in both barrels; Leather and Carnival Diabolique! From the open bottle: *swoon* Respect for the devastating, talent-ridden Lab is mandatory! Shrunken Heads is crazy-good! The Leather does not disappoint in the slightest! On the contrary, this Leather has powerful medicine! Eek! Not only are there Ferns of the Amazon persuasion in this, but swaying, nipple-high, wind-toussled grasses that you really don't want to look too closely at, for fear of seeing a blowgun pointed in your direction. Something in Shrunken Heads glistens too... This could be tropical mist... This could be blossoms and foliage composting on the Rainforest floor... This could be expertly trained, gaily coloured Poison Arrow frogs, cheerfully hopping right alongside you and all of creation until they are bid, 'come hither, that thou mayest tip yon dart, reserved especially for blundering tourist-demon... We need new heads'... This is as good as it is creepy and exciting! On the Skin: Oh, bliss! Shrunken Heads does not merely amp, but it TRICKLES from the skin! It's fascinating how this blend can project Leather so acutely, while simultaneously emphasizing equatorial humidity! Keen! Something tropically sweet that begins to emerge, emphasizing the herbal greenery; one can practically see the acai palms, heavily laden with their purply bounty! (((NONSEQUITIR!))) For some reason, the cerebral-soundtrack wants to incongruously showcase Tom Waits in all his glory... O_o. Shrunken Heads is fanfreakintabulous! This plagues obsessive/compulsive proclivities, with particular emphasis on the Wünderkammer... There is a sudden revelation here that the collection, in it's entirety, must be gathered together in one place, an altar constructed in it's honor, and a facial tattoo as a rite of passage for a consecrated devotee. Shrunken Heads is a glorious, many-splendored thing to experience in one's lifetime...There will be tears of gratitude, oh, yes... The Leather in Shrunken Heads is also evocative of a time when it would have been not too awfully difficult to find a black pair of those knee-high moccasins with the fringes around the top, acid-washed, black jeans with the knees blown out, and a black, sleeveless "Appetite for Destruction" Tee shirt, and feathered bangs... And one could cop a Hell of a buzz for $5... Ah, memories of whimsical youth! Shrunken Heads is a fantastic fragrance. This could be worn with equal effect by Him or Her; On Him, Shrunken Heads would be bookish rogue with an exotic accent, while on Her, Shrunken Heads would possess a wild-woman halo of kinky-curled hair, tanned musculature, and the luminous, green eyes of a tigress. Powerful magic! 5.5 out of 5!!!

:::AL-AZIF::: There is mass bias on this end for the Picnic in Arkham series. It is difficult to have anything but praise for anything even remotely affiliated with the writings of Mr. Howard Philip Lovecraft, and Al-Azif is certainly no exception. The Imp was uncapped to reveal gorgeousness on a grand scale! At first, this invited comparison to On Darkness 2009. There is Cocoa, Teak and Poppy... Darkened a bit by either Cedar, Vetiver, or Patchouli... This is particularly difficult to distinguish as there is alot going on with the fragrance that is Al-Azif! This is very dark and disturbing! Beautifully so! There is a lightless thrill to this that is hard to describe...Imagine Space Mountain on crack. This version goes 85mph, is 18 stories high, has 6 loops somewhere in it, and there is... ONE star in the whole ride. Double the effect, and you're getting warmer! There is a subtle sweetness in Al-Azif that could be Rosewood, could be Ambergris, could be Amber... Or is thanks, entirely, to the Poppy. The flesh, annointed: Al-Azif AMPS! Everything about this blend magnifies exponentially and turbulently. Al-Azif is nearly out of control! The Incense makes it's appearance about 3 minutes after it makes contact with the skin, but the Poppy and the Rosewood REALLY shine. This is an amazing fragrance. It is almost impossible not to underestimate the potency of Al-Azif's sexiness! As it matures and develops, something close to either Clove or Cinnamon introduces itsself into the mix and makes it profoundly challenging to moderate the salivary response... Which is not to say that Al-Azif is AT ALL foody. If anything, this gives an almost predatory impression; as though one has grown slavering, lupine jaws, though with multiple rows of teeth. Al-Azif also makes the wearer feel as though they can see in the dark. Al-Azif has reduced this reviewer into a stuporous puddle. Perfect for Him or Her. 5.5 out of 5!!!

:::TUSHNAMATAY::: Tushnamatay is very nice. It's not much of a challenge to associate this with a meditative state of mind. Internal harmonies are easily achieved with the blissed out olfactory harmonics rendered by this blend. Were there such a thing as the aromatic equivalent of a gong or singing-bowl, this would be it. From the Imp: From here, it seems like Sage, Blue Lotus, and Daffodils. These are the very first ripples across the mirrored surface of a morning pond. There is something verdant and refreshing in this blend... Juniper or Pine, that gives Tushnamatay a pure, almost illuminated feel. Skinward: While the coniferous quality of Tushnamatay amps, the formula as a whole descends into softness and subtlety... This is an Alpine wind whispering about the coming of winter's first snow; the flow of sap has slowed to a standstill, and the high-pitched song of icicles harmonizes with the twinkling starlight. The ingenuity behind Tushnamatay is humbling. This is indeed the perfect meditation blend. Tushnamatay would be the perfect vessel to drift away into a state of personal Nirvana. Divinely unisex fragrance. Exquisite for any occasion. 4.9 out of 5.

:::GOLDEN PRIAPRUS::: Wow, really... Golden, eh? Wonder what Olympic events THIS might entail... At first, there was some worry that this was going to be an ironic experience, as the first thing that introduced itsself from the opened bottle was a puffball of Vanilla and Amber. A girlie powderpuff! Blast! Then a vestigal memory cell surfaces, and there is a reminder of the morphing capabilities of the Lab's formulas. A second sniff rendered Golden Priaprus similar to Ides of March 2010. The Amber and the Pine are primarily responsible for this resemblance. On the skin: Eureka! Golden Priaprus is terrific! The White Pine flawlessly fuses with the Juniper and Rosewood to form a stout and golden sort of fortitude while the Vanilla and the Amber recede to provide an alluring cloak of beguiling vigor to this fragrance. Mostly, this speaks for itsself! Words do Golden Priaprus little justice. This is a classic, optimum formula for He who wants to make a devastating first impression. 5 out of 5.

Oleander with black patchouli, ylang ylang, and neroli. Wow... Tisiphone is a crazy-beautiful and violent summertime ride. It took a few moments to stir up the memory associated with this fragrance, and even then it wasn't quite possible without a peek at the Lab's notes... Holy $hí+! Oleander! Actually, that makes this formula even scarier! There was a summer roughly a decade ago when some local kids murdered one of their peers in the Orange groves and hung the body from a sturdy limb. Another friend had gotten into an arguement with his girlfriend and fled the scene... Leaping despondently onto the West-bound interstate-10, where he was struck down by a family in a stationwagon on their way to see a Holiday pyrotechnical display. Local authorities had declared Oleander a nusiance, and released several varieties of flyer depicting the plant as a child and pet killing menace... Coincidentally, of course, a large stand of these were set ablaze in the center divider of the freeway as folks commuted home from work... Tisiphone recanted so many of those memories, it was more than a little disturbing. If the Oleander in this formula isn't actually the toxic shrub, it's a flipping brilliant decoy. The Neroli hearkens to the citrus groves that many of the locals will never be able to look at the same way again. The Patchouli and the Ylang-ylang point more toward some of the bohemian idealism that afflicted almost everyone, it seemed, at the coffee houses and poetry reads of our little world at the time. Upon reading the description that inspired these notes, it was ever more disturbing. Given the associations and the kharmic coincidentals, it will be difficult to assign this as a favourite... On the skin: DANG! This is almost like being drug by the heels through the brush; face being beaten and lacerated by twigs and leaves, the flickering shadows and little explosions of glaring summer sunlight making seizures feel imminent... The Neroli and the Oleander are SO REAL!!! Thankfully, the Ylang-ylang sort of reels reality back in. Any trace of Patchouli has been greedily gulped somewhere between the pores at this rate, and has left nary a trace of it's ever having been there. Wow. Dark green, menacing leaves, flowers, smoke, dirt and carnage. This is a fragrance that will be neither ignored nor denied. Well done, Labbies, on this smell's capacity to creep the eff out of a soul! 5 out of 5!

:::THORNS::: This is a very mournful scent. There is Vetiver here, which makes Thorns a very dark place to start off (blindly dark, perhaps?). There is something dark-green and twisted here too... Ivy makes sense, given the thematics, but something more forested lurks... Maybe black pine. There is a brininess that could very well come from a marine accord or, maybe, bladder-wrack, and there is most certainly a Coppery tang that lends the effect of spilled blood. It is easy to understand how this fragrance would evoke the tragic feeling that goes along with the excerpt that inspired it's genesis. On the skin, the Vetiver subsides, leaving bloody tears and the unforgiving dark deeps of the forest. This is the fragrance of pennance... Thorns is a darkly tragic blend mostly befitting a lovelorn prince. 4 out of 5.